FN Archimer Export Format PT J TI An inference procedure for behavioural studies combining numerical simulations, statistics and experimental results BT AF GUARINI, Jean-Marc COSTON-GUARINI, Jennifer DEPREZ, Tim CHAUVAUD, Laurent AS 1:1,2;2:1,2;3:3;4:2; FF 1:;2:;3:;4:; C1 Entangled Bank Lab, F-66650 Banyuls Sur Mer, France. CNRS UBO, UMR LEMAR LIA BeBEST Benth Biodivers Ecol Sci & T, Rue Dumont dUrville, F-29280 Plouzane, France. Marine Biol Res Grp, Krijgslaan 281-S8, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium. C2 ENTANGLED BANK LAB, FRANCE CNRS, FRANCE UNIV GHENT, BELGIUM UM LEMAR IN WOS Cotutelle UMR copubli-france copubli-europe IF 1.181 TC 2 UR https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00605/71676/70089.pdf LA English DT Article DE ;Crab individual behaviours;light pollution;microcosms;probability;null distribution AB The technical difficulties of performing underwater observation mean that marine ecologists have long relied on behavioural experiments to study reactions of marine organisms. In this article, we examine the underlying complexity of assumptions made in raceway experiments and we propose a statistical inference procedure tailored to this type of experimental protocol. As an example, experiments were performed to test if light of two different intensities affects the proximal behaviour (i.e. direct, local and immediate) of two species of crustaceans, the hermit crab (Pagurus bernhardus), and the green crab (Carcinus maenas). Individuals were collected in the vicinity of the Sven Loven Marine Center in Tjarno (Sweden). Their movements in raceways were recorded and the statistical distance between the resulting experimental distribution and a simulated null distribution was used to compare their behaviour in two situations: dim (when they were expected to feed) and bright light (when they were expected to shelter). Initial tests indicated no differences of behaviour between dim and bright light for the two species. However, when compared with the reference state (here, a null distribution) the behaviour in dim light deviates significantly from the null distribution suggesting non-random behaviour. Our results suggest that efforts should be made to understand the behaviours of the individuals of these two species to establish a comprehensive reference state as a basis for comparison. This fundamental information should be a prerequisite before implementing experiments testing how potential disturbances affect individual organisms in behavioural ecology. PY 2019 PD FEB SO Journal Of The Marine Biological Association Of The United Kingdom SN 0025-3154 PU Cambridge Univ Press VL 99 IS 1 UT 000458495600001 BP 1 EP 7 DI 10.1017/S0025315417001783 ID 71676 ER EF